On Thin Ice
by Vmailer
Summary: This is an impulsive fic...CH 3 up...more to come...(I'm getting the somewhat exciting stuff written hopefully in the chapter after this)Thank you for reading this.
1. Default Chapter

An Impulsive Mighty Ducks Fan fiction by Vmailer  
  
Author's Notes: It's been over 5 years since I've seen the last Ducks' movie so my facts could be a little off…Also, I tend to write Ronin Warrior fan fiction and this is the first attempt at Mighty Ducks' fanfic…so please forgive me for any mistakes or liberties and personal bias (I'm a closet fan of the character Adam Banks or Julie "The Cat" Gaffney) and please send feedback please. Thanks!  
  
  
  
Skating around the frozen pond, Adam Banks reflected the main reason he attended the Eden Fall: his love of hockey. It was his second year on the Junior Varsity team at Eden Hall and he was thinking about the upcoming season, especially the JV vs. Varsity team held each year. Last year was the first time in the school's history the JV ever beat the Varsity team. Thank God Ducks fly together instead of …he didn't dare think of what might have happened if the rest of the Ducks considered him as part of the enemy. As it was, he still felt guilty even making the Varsity in the first place. Why did it happen to me?! Why do things like this always happen to me!?! Am I always the proverbial whipping --or is it the whacking in my case – boy? First my head, then my wrist, and then being in the middle of the Varsity/Duck pranks…I understand why, but…it just feels… as if Fate has it in for me… He mused.  
  
It was one of the few times he could go to the pond close to his house. Since it was an elite boarding school, he and the rest of the Ducks spent most of the time on campus and if possible, went home on the weekends and holidays. Charlie's mom and her new husband moved a little farther away from the old neighborhood, but at the private school the district boundaries no longer applied to them anymore. Only money, privilege, and skill did. As it was, the pond was empty and nobody was awake yet. When he was younger, Adam always thought the pond and the ice as his refuge from the rest of the world. No one to judge him on based on his looks or how much money his parents had; the ice provided him the opportunity to lose himself in practice and his skill in the game.  
  
Dragging a goal chained to a post near the edge of the pond onto the ice and grabbing the puck in his pocket, he decided to practice just a little longer before returning home for brunch. I need to practice…Those Varsity players for all that they're mostly jocks do know some moves and after last year's game, they've been demanding for our blood. I wonder if Charlie has talked to Coach Bombay and gleaned some new ideas and plays we could try this year…with Coach Orion's approval of course. After shooting and some more laps, he returned home. He had a few things to do before he returned to school.  
  
** **  
  
"Hey Scooter, are most the guys on the Varsity still out for our blood?" Julie asked while finishing her Biology homework with Scooter at the library. A few days after the JV vs. Varsity game, Scooter approached her to talk about the game or help her on homework. Hesitant, Julie agreed to meeting Scooter in the library or a study lounge. These meetings proved quite informative as she learned Scooter came from Massachusetts and also couldn't go home on the weekends.  
  
"Not quite. They're…um…still trying to find a way to kick you and your friends out of school." He admitted looking over her answers. "It didn't help that you guys kind divided the school into Varsity and the Eden Hall Ducks." Seeing something wrong in her answers, he returned the sheet of paper to her "Are you sure about this? Try and look at page 54."  
  
"Oh! Thanks! I should've known you've done this stuff last year. Umm," Julie paused, " are the guys getting on your case for spending time with me?"  
  
"Not really. I'm kinda not part of the team sometimes. There's a few of us in the Varsity who aren't idiots, you know." He teased. Julie wanted to know what was the catch since it seemed to be lurking in his laughing eyes. Laughing a moment later he continued, "We just happen to be the few juniors on the team this year. Your friend Adam isn't the only person to get into Varsity even though he was a freshman. For the most part, we're placed based on skill. Adam IS an exception that he chose to stay with the Ducks. He should be with us and be more exposed to working with other people and not just a certain group, but in this case, even I agree it's for the best for now." Glancing up at the clock, he looked back at his untouched homework assignment: a paper on Walden Pond by Thoreau. "I give up on this boring piece of crap! Let's go grab something to eat. We've been here for 4 hours. We deserve a break!" Closing Julie's textbook on her homework and ignoring her protests, he packed up her stuff.  
  
"Hey! I wasn't done with that!"  
  
"It's for your own good?" he joked. "Besides, you study too much! Loosen up! Don't you have any other interests other than school and hockey? Like any girl stuff?" He had to duck his head to avoid her swinging backpack. She ordered a bowl of clam chowder while Scooter bought a BLT sandwich. Sitting near the window he continued, "well? C'mon, don't you trust me? Aren't we friends?"  
  
Looking at his serious expression, she relented. "Okay, okay! For your information, YES!" Unable to meet his gaze, she continued in a smaller voice, " I like to dance…I like boys, like any normal girl. I'm not just a goalie you know."  
  
Patting her shoulder he replied, "Relax, Jules. Do you really think I'm going to laugh at you? I just thought you might be limiting yourself here at school. Dance, huh? No wonder you have great reflexes and flexibility. How many people know of this interest? Not many?" Julie nodded. "What about your Ducks?"  
  
"Uh… only Connie, Ken, Dwayne, and Luis. I take lessons every Saturday in the Dance Hall with some other students under Madame Chapantier. I started to dance in Maine and continued here when I arrived. It's fun and not that bad. That's why I couldn't meet you for a few times for the study session. You should try it sometime," she suggested; reassured that he wouldn't laugh, "you might like it." Chuckling a little she added, "It might improve your goalie skills and attract even more girls. You know you should stop using me as a shield of sorts to filter out the girls. You know and I know we're just friends, but nobody believes us! Not even my friends!" After a few outings she found out he seemed to be more like a confidant/prankster like Dwayne and less of a crush.  
  
"But you're so convenient!" He laughed taking the sting out of his words. "You know the game and you're practically one of the guys! I can't help it if the people only see what they want to see. Besides, you're a good influence. God forbid, I think you're studying is rubbing off on me."  
  
"Hey! I have to study! I am still on scholarship here! It's a hockey scholarship sure, but I'm out to prove that just because we can play hockey we also have brains! I'm not a babe! I don't want to give some of your teammates any excuse to kick us out." Shocked by her own outburst, she ate more of her soup.  
  
"Jules, you're already an exception in more ways than one. You're a female on a hockey team. You're the first string goalie for the hockey team. Heck, even Coach admitted you were good enough for Varsity. The only thing that kept him from taking you was the fact you're a girl. You're more than just a pretty-face. Trust me!" he insisted. "Don't your other friends tell you this too?"  
  
"Yeah" Julie said to her now empty soup-bowl.  
  
"See?!" he exclaimed.  
  
"Okay, okay! I get it! Can we get back to the dorms?" She rose and picked up the backpack. "You need to finish your homework and study for the SATs," she gleefully added, "I'll play on your computer. C'mon!"  
  
Dragging his feet, Scooter followed. "So who're the guys you like? Tell your fellow goalie Scooter. Who better to protect your secrets than a goalie?! Anybody I know?" Giving her a beseeching look, Julie surprised him with a laugh.  
  
"Yes!"  
  
As they approached the campus, Julie saw Connie and Guy emerge from a car and take out their weeklong provisions.  
  
"Hey Connie!" Julie waved. "I'll open our room for you!" Turning to Scooter, she asked him, "I'll be over later?"  
  
"Sure, see ya!" Thank god for her Duckie friends. Now I can get some gaming in! Scooter picked up his step on his way to his room.  
  
** **  
  
"Hey Adam, anything on your mind?" Charlie inquired later that night in their room on campus. "Why so late in coming back?" In his bed, he squinted when Adam opened the door and carried his stuff into the room.  
  
"Not really. Just the usual argument at home. I'll tell you in the morning, alright?" came the terse reply as Adam threw the stuff into the closet and go onto his bed and pulled the covers over his head and tried to sleep.  
  
Weird. I guess I have to trust him. Man, but why is he so late…in the morning And Charlie drifted off to sleep while Adam just tossed and turned for the rest of the night. 


	2. Just Another Day (Ch 2)

Next day 

                "So, why _did_ you come back last night all in a huff?" Charlie voiced in the morning on the way to the dining hall.

                "My dad and I got into an argument over my place on the hockey team," Adam began.  "He thought I was making a mistake by staying with you guys this year.  He believes Varsity is better.  Sound familiar?" Adam asked.

                "But we _beat_ Varsity last year," Charlie objected.

                "It's the principle, he says."  Adam just stared ahead, not seeing anything the crowds of students in the hallways.

                "What about the principal?"  Guy Germaine joined them.

                Adam replied, " The principle in being on the reliable _winning_ team."

                "There's more isn't it?"  Charlie asked as they continued into the dining hall, grabbing a tray for breakfast.

                Turning around and looking for the rest of their group, he noticed Julie, Connie just entering the dining hall.  Scanning, he saw Dwayne, Russ, and Ken already sitting down at a table. Charlie pointed in their direction. "C'mon.  They're waiting."

                Weaving through the tables, a walking mountain of food nearly toppled on top of them.  "Goldberg, have you heard of moderation?" Connie scolded as she sat down at the table with an empty seat next to her.  Guy scooted over next to her.  Julie was on the other side.  Adam and Charlie gamely sat down in the remaining empty seats. Adam found himself sandwiched between Goldberg and Julie.  

                Not looking up from the food he was inhaling, Goldberg answered a quick "no."  The mountain started shrinking.  When Adam began to fear Goldberg might actually go after _his_ plate, Goldberg took a big swig of milk and gave a loud burp and looked at Charlie.  "Hey Charlie, when are we going to the pond to play some hockey?"

                "Maybe next weekend…can everybody come?"  Charlie expected the affirmative answer and just gazed a bit.

                "Yeah!"

                "Sure."

                "What time?"

                Hoping they wouldn't notice or be particularly concerned, Julie took a breath.  "I can't."

                Even Averman stopped making wisecracks and corny jokes.  Everybody looked at her with varying degrees of curiosity.  Meeting Charlie's eyes she opened her mouth.

_Ding Ding._

                Wiping her shaking hands on her pant legs, Julie got up to go to class.

                They all started in the direction of their classes.  Charlie and Fulton headed toward history; Dwayne and Guy toward PE; Adam, Ken, and Connie to English; Julie, Portman and Averman toward French; Luis and Russ to math, and Goldberg dragged his feet a bit to biology.

                Entering the classroom, Adam asked a quick question to Ken without looking at the guy; in doing so, he didn't notice the look exchanged between his friends.  Finally looking at Ken, he asked his friend, "You have any idea what's on Julie's mind?"

                "Maybe she's busy this weekend.  Go ask her yourself," Ken suggested.  "I don't think she'll mind."

                Tapping Adam on the shoulder, Connie added, "Adam, have you really talked to her other than the game?  Do you even notice she's a girl?"

                A flush crept across Adam's cheekbones.  "Uhh…Yeah."

                "Good morning class."  The teacher greeted her students.  "I trust you had a nice weekend.  If you would please open your books to page 74, we'll see…"

** **

                Portman turned the pages of the French textbook.  "Argh!  Why did I choose French for my elective?" he groaned.

                "Because you wanted to charm girls and avoid Home Ec," Averman snickered.

                "It doesn't seem to have helped you. Mr. I'm-fluent-in-French." Scowling, Portman began muttering _"merde."_   Julie once told him it would relieve any stress without smashing or bashing anything. Besides, supposedly not many people could recognize the term at this beginning level of French.  The teacher gasped and stalked over to the trio and started to release an umbrage of French. Only one other person caught the some of the vocabulary—Julie.  With each word, the gestured more.  Portman had no clue exactly _what_ she was saying, only the general idea.  Shocked silence followed the diatribe.

                Julie hesitantly apologized for Portman in slightly Canadian accented French.  Her French was fluent enough for the apology and not too shocked at the Frenchwoman's angry lecture.  In a smooth low tone full of remorse, Julie quickly prevented the possible detention from the teacher.

                Mollified and calming down, the teacher continued teaching the class without any interruptions.

** **

Lunchtime 

                Deciding to eat lunch outside, the group settled around a picnic table next to a tree.  Putting down her tray, Julie found herself sitting net to Adam.  They had 2 classes together, both in the afternoon, but rarely discussed their classes.  The only topic they could talk about was hockey.  Julie found Dwayne on her left already scarfing down his lunch.  Fulton, Portman, and Russ were surrounding Goldberg and pilfering some of his lunch, trying to "help" him lose weight.  Charlie joined his girlfriend somewhere else and Ken kept the lovebirds aka. Guy and Connie from Adam.  Comfortable with the sounds of eating, Julie began to eat her own lunch.  Adam glanced around and decided to kill two birds with one stone:  unload some of his thoughts _and_ start on knowing more about Julie.  _But how do I start?_  He thought around a mouthful of food.  Swallowing, Adam started with what he thought as a safe topic. "Are you ready for practice?"

                Once the words came out, he could've hit himself on his head.  However, those thoughts were not on Julie's mind.  Her thoughts ran along the lines of _what's wrong with him?_  "I guess."

                Her lunch now unnoticed, Julie waited for Adam to continue the conversation since it appeared he had something on his mind.  _I never knew he could…_  Catching her train of thought, Julie tried to recover from her shock by babbling to Adam, "What's on your mind Adam? _Really. _"  She never meant _that_ to come out.

                Looking at his teammate with a mix of nervousness and _some_ kind of certainty, Adam told her.  "Julie, I need help.  I need _your _help." His gaze was troubled and Julie gave in.  Her heart wasn't particularly calm at the moment either.

                _He's only asking for help, probably on homework, she berated herself, but she couldn't help but feel something she didn't dare admit to herself.  "Is it homework?  Did you talk to anyone else?  I'm flattered though.  Sure. When?" she asked, hesitantly smiling._

                _Wow…she agreed.  Adam thought and couldn't prevent the next thought—__her smile is so __pretty!  The words came unbidden.  "Can I meet you after practice at the library or something and eat dinner together?"_

                He couldn't believe how Julie's smie could get any brighter, but for whatever the reason, her agreement and cheerful expression lightened his own day and looking down at his tray, Adam decided to goto class a little early. "Walk with me?" Julie asked, getting up as the rest of the of the group prepared to go to their respective classes.

                Smiling, Adam waited for Julie and the two left the lunch period talking and testing out a new part of their friendship.  Ken looked at the two and though to himself, _it's about time they really__ started to talk.  Glad of the fact, he went off with the others to class.  _


	3. Or is It? ^_^ (Ch 3)

_Late in the afternoon_

            The gym teacher, Ms. Miller (who eerily resembled Janet Reno) barked at her class.  "Because your high and mighty principal decided to be fair," she sneered, "our class and Mr. Jones' class will be merged so we'll have 2 units.  If you're an athlete," she paused before cackling, "SUFFER!"  Effectively silencing the students, she smiled.  "As for the non-athletes—well, you can choose basketball or hockey.  Happy Halloween." The two classes milled about.  Julie wondered how horrible could it be before someone tapped her shoulder.  Turning around she saw Adam grinning.  "Hey."

            "Hey yourself.  What do you think we're going to do in here?" she asked, but the teacher started talking.  Ms. Miller announced, "Since you're athletes, you will do a WONDERFUL cross country unit.  It all comes down to lap times and grades.  You have 2 weeks to do at least 70 laps to get an A.  Roughly 5 laps a day.  A 'B' is about 4 laps a day, a C is 3, etc, etc.  I'll be keeping track."  Walking down to the beginning of the course, she turned to look at the students.  "The sooner you finish, the more break time you have.  You'll also be graded for improvement, effort, and consistency.  So, get off your butts and MOVE IT!" She roared on her way down to the field.

            Adam heard a cheerleader whine among the groaning class. "But –" Ms. Miller cut her off, not stopping in her stride.  "If any of you want to question your status, do it AFTER the unit."

            Julie chuckled for one moment before trudging with the rest of the class.  Seeing Adam next to her, she commented, "was she in the army?"  Adam shrugged.

            "I guess in a way, it was fair since hockey _is hockey."  His eyes gleamed.  "Wanna be my partner?"_

            Blinking, Julie only replied, "huh?  Are talking about homework?"  Adam shook his head and smiled.

            "Nah. I just thought we could keep each other company while going through this.  You really just want to do this by yourself?"

            Julie seemed to consider the idea, not noticing they were already unofficial "buddies" of sorts.  She replied, "I _know either of us can do this, but Adam, are you sure? Guys are usually faster than girls; though I'm pretty decent…" she let the statement trail off._

            After 4 laps of a steady jog, Julie panted a bit. "Adam, can we please take it easier?"  She huffed.

            "We're behind the rest of the guys," Adam replied.

            "Yeah, they're _guys! Hint!  I told you!" She said._

            "Okay, okay, slowpoke," Adam teased, relenting.  "We'll walk the last lap, since we have time."

            "Thank you."

            On the last lap, they passed by a few cheerleaders who gave Julie the evil eye.  Long used to the stares, Julie disregarded them and loosened up.  "Adam?  I guess I might have forgotten to say thank you earlier," she began.

            "For what?"

            "For umm…walking me to class and I guess being my running buddy.  You're right—it's easier when you can share with another person," she replied.

            Grinning, he joked, "So if I'm right, you'd say I'm _always right?"_

            Seeing the end of the course nearing them, Julie answered, "Maybe.  Race you to the end of the lap!"  Laughing as she did so, she started running all out.  Adam caught up close to the end and beat her by ten seconds.  Julie was still gasping for breath, which was hampered by her laughs.  "I'll meet you outside the locker rooms."

            Adam was surprised to see Julie waiting for him. "Aren't guys supposed to be the ones quick to get ready?"

            He chuckled.  "Usually.  Why were those cheerleaders looking at you weird?" He asked.

            "I think they're bubble-gum heads who believe one of these things:  A. I'm a tomboy B. Scooter and I are dating, and the last one –I'm a wannabe lesbian," ticking off each concept with her fingers.  "On the other hand, they are the same people who also believe **one of them should be your girlfriend," she sighed.  "Go figure."**

            Laughing at her expression, Adam couldn't resist. "But they look so _good." Seeing her backpack swing toward him, he agreed.  "Okay, okay! Maybe you're right.  I still need that help though."_

            "Sure.  I'll see you at the library."  Despite his laughing face, Julie could still sense Adam had something on his mind.  _Scooter probably would have an idea._

            Meanwhile, Adam started looking forward to the end of the day.

** **

Practice 

            "10 laps, NOW!" Coach roared.

            Dwayne sighed while Connie murmured to Guy.  "Is it me, or is Coach just in lousy mood?"  Guy shrugged his shoulders.

            "Yessir! Right away Coach Doom!"  Averman quipped quietly, not even really into joke making since it had been a long hard practice.  Usually, the team would lap the rink in one big group with Luis, Adam, and Charlie in the front with the rest in the middle and Goldberg and Dwayne taking their time in the back.  Today, only Charlie accompanied him in the lead.  Adam impulsively stayed back to keep pace with Julie.  Fulton and Portman exchanged a glance, but didn't comment.  However, Russ wasn't about to pass o a chance to pull ahead without a word.  "Hey Banks, you slowing down on us?"

            The rest of the team didn't understand the chuckles from Julie _and_ Adam.  "You have no clue," Adam answered.  "Maybe it's the company I keep."

            Amid the laughs and teasing, the gang continued to make tentative plans for later that night and finished the laps under Coach Orion's gaze.

            In the "girls" section of the locker room, Connie demanded, "So what was all that about? You gonna tell me?"

            Taking off her gear, Julie grinned.  "Maybe, maybe not."  

            "Never mind!"

            "Alright!  You know how we both have PE during sixth period? Well, Ms. Miller's is out for athletic blood, sweat, and tears."

            "The woman should go on medication!  About a month ago, she had this anti guy thing and you know all last year she just hated anybody with more than one X chromosome!"

            "Uh, Connie, I think she IS on medication.  I guess the only thing is to wait it out."  Finishing up and throwing everything into the bag, she threw an aside to Connie.  "I might be late coming back tonight."

            "Dance lessons?"  Connie said, more of a statement than a question.

            "No, I'm meeting someone," Julie hedged.

            Turning around Connie _really_ looked at Julie.  "You're not eating dinner with us?  You've been spending a lot of time with Scooter lately." Ignoring Julie's protests, Connie continued, "I **know** he's just a friend.  You know that, Scooter knows that, I know that; but how many _other_ people know?  Or to keep it simple, how many of our teammates really know, Jules?"  Sighing, Connie closed her locker.  "Never mind.  I'll see you later."

            "Thanks."

            Hurrying back to her room in the sophomore dormitories, Julie gathered her stuff.  Brushing her hair a bit more than necessary, she thought, _I'm acting ridiculous! It's only a study session!  I've had study sessions with Scooter before!  There's nothing special about this one!_

            A little niggling voice from the back of her mind objected._  But it's not only Scooter you're meeting._  Frustrated, Julie spoke aloud  "Hush!" and laughed at herself as she left the room and walked toward the library.  Reaching the building, she stood on the top of the steps and saw Scooter living up to his nickname and rushing toward the building.  Relieved, Julie started scanning for a glimpse of Adam.  Scooter suddenly appeared in front of her with a hopeful and ecstatic expression on his face before he leaned down and kissed Julie on the lips as if she was his salvation.

** **

Notes:  Darn!  I still have no action…  Please forgive me for the delay.  I'm trying my best to balance 3 different stories and all three are battling for attention…I swear I'm trying to get to the action…I hope you don't mind too much and thank you for being patient!  Please read and review please! Thanks!


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